


Glory and Gore || Part One

by lithiumspark (vinyl_static)



Category: Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys (Album)
Genre: F/M, One Shot, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-08
Updated: 2015-04-08
Packaged: 2018-03-21 20:33:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,718
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3704175
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinyl_static/pseuds/lithiumspark
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>On a mission into Battery City to destroy all records of herself and her family, Lithium Spark runs across someone who could change her course for good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Glory and Gore || Part One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [impossiblgirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/impossiblgirl/gifts).



Steam rose up in soft, warm curls from the mouths of the kettle and French press, releasing the delicious aromas of coffee and tea into the air. It was a warm, comforting smell meant to calm the nerves. Most days, Corey Bloom would have welcomed the homely scent, letting it unwind any muscles that had coiled themselves into oblivion. Most days, she’d hum to herself as she flitted about the kitchen, filling up mugs for the morning caffeine intake. Most days, she’d wait with a smug grin on her face for Sky to pad into the kitchen and take a drink of his tea, only to return her the sleepy grin she loved so much. That was far from the case this morning. Tension wound in her muscles, joints, bones, everything. Her mind raced at a speed that any adrenaline junkie would envy. Corey was lost in her treacherous thoughts as she watched the steam flow through the air, eyebrows knitted together and sharp features contorted into a stern, worried expression.

She was plagued by paranoia, the itching feeling sprinting through her veins, picking up pace and intensity with each passing second. Her hands clamped on the kitchen counter’s edge hard enough to turn her knuckles white and leave indentions in her skin. The sound of her teeth gritting in her skull sounded like sandpaper, enough to make anyone else cringe. Corey ignored the needle-like pains radiating through her jaw and focused on the sound of blood rushing in her ears. It echoed and crescendoed, drowning out the whistling kettle and gurgling coffee and approaching footsteps closing in from behind.

At the feeling of arms wrapping around her waist and a kiss placed behind her ear, Corey leapt from her skin, snapping out of her abstraction and instinctively pulling away. She turned around with an emphatic gasp and clutched at her chest, staring at Skylar with wide eyes and heaving breaths. Adrenaline thrummed through her body as she tried to calm down, making herself realize that the assaulter was just her husband saying good morning. “For fuck’s sake, warn me,” Lith snapped, facing the cupboard. Grabbing hold of the peeling paint on the knobs, she threw open the doors and hastily retrieved mugs, the screaming of the kettle just now reaching her ears. Her hands moved on their own accord as they poured boiling water into one ceramic cup and topped it with tea bags while filling the other with coffee. Once settled, she wasted no time grabbing her morning cup of joe and nursing the bitter nectar.

Corey could feel the frown on Skylar’s face, attuned to the way he studied her features. The way he held his mug in a condescending manner, how it was obvious he was holding his tongue, the worry on his face. She could tell he was trying not to upset her, not wanting to bring up her paranoia. "I didn't mean to scare you," he apologized. She noticed how he gave her a once-over and, scrutinizing the subtle cues of her body language. Corey could feel the tension in her muscles was obvious and the worry lines on her face were prominent. He took a quiet sip from his mug before deciding to ask her. "Brooklyn, what's wrong? You look stressed," Sky commented, raising a brow.

She recoiled at the question, insulted by the accusation. She knew fighting the claim would be a futile effort and steadied her gaze on her coffee instead of Skylar, unable to face him at that moment. Her lips stayed taught in a tight, thin line, and her jaw clenched at the words, causing veins to jut out of her neck. She focused on the bitter liquid swirling in her cup before taking a deep breath, reminding herself that now was not the time to snap or yell. Flicking her eyes up to her husband’s, her gut was screaming to lie, to tell him everything was okay. That would be quite the mistake. Skylar could read her far too well. She knew this. He would call out her fibs the moment they left her mouth and reached his ears. This was a far too serious matter to lie about and Corey knew only regret would come from twisted words. Sighing loudly through her nose, she chewed on her cheek before finding her words and speaking.

“I am stressed,” Lith nodded, her hands trembling as she took a delicate, timid sip of her coffee. She tapped her fingers against the side of her mug, just now realizing how jagged and uneven her nails were from chewing on them and how rugged her cuticles had become. Everything she had been noticing was spiking her paranoia and Corey was nearing her breaking point. “There’s more Dracs running around than there have been in years. They’re getting adventurous, going out farther into the desert. What if BLI knows something or is planning something? What if they know about the kids or have figured out where we live?” Corey rushed, winding herself. She paused, catching her breath as she calmed down again. She let out a sigh, blowing a piece of her blue hair from her face. “I can’t shake the feeling that something’s going on or going to go wrong.”

Corey watched as Sky pursed his lips. She was sure she could see the cogs grinding in his head after her confession, taking his time and care to mull words over in his head before responding to her. It was obvious he was treading carefully around her, not wanting to trigger her paranoia any more than it already had been. She wasn’t blind to how he pitied her whenever she slipped into her delusions, but this time she had a point. On her daily patrol runs, Lith had been encountering more and more city agents farther out into the desert. Places that had previously been safe were now treacherous for even her. The officials were become more daring and adventurous with each passing day. Skylar must have noticed the same on his way to and from work. It was too blatant not to.

Skylar looked over his wife, noticing the lines on her face as she observed him. Drawing in a deep breath and blowing it out, he readied himself to speak. “You have a good point like always, Corey. But I have to ask. What the hell are you planning?” Sky questioned, knowing better that to believe she would leave well enough alone. “You have that look on your face, the one you get when you’re scheming, Brooklyn.” He raised his mug to his lips and took a long, slow drink of his tea, letting the caffeine enter his system as he quirked an eyebrow, waiting for an answer from his wife.

Corey rested her half-empty coffee cup on the counter, giving her husband her full attention. “We break in again,” she returned, severity and seriousness in her tone. “All business, no play. I knew I swore I wouldn’t go back after last time, but this is dire.” Lith pursed her lips, taking a breath before revealing her plan. “I’ve got this all mapped out. We break in, steal an I.D. card off the first poor soul we come across, and then erase ourselves and the kids out of the systems. They’ll have to start over. There’s no way they can recall every little detail about us.” As outlandish as it sounded, Corey was beyond confident in her scheme. If anyone could pull this off, it would be them, the dynamic duo of the desert. “What do you think?” she asked as she bit her lip and looked expectantly at Skylar. “I’m going to run by Tommy’s in a bit and barter some maps off him. I’m serious about this, babe. This is something that needs to happen.” She rested her hands and gazed into his eyes, trying to convey her point even more.

Skylar shrugged her hands off his shoulders and pinched the bridge of his nose, mind whirling to catch up to everything Corey had rattled off. “Dove, it’s too early for something like this,” he reasoned, giving her a weary look as he tried to wake up more. As much as Sky wanted to tell her no, not to do it, there was something in the austerity of her voice that struck down to his core. He was more than aware of her hatred, trepidation, and downright fear when it came to matters regarding Battery City. The night terrors she still suffered woke him up as well, but petrified Corey. The PTSD she came back with from her first stay was a constant presence over the both of them, making the couple work harder than others to stay together. No matter how much he tried to help her, neither condition would disappear and he certainly knew she didn’t tread lightly when it came to this subject. Taking all circumstances into consideration, Skylar looked directly into the green eyes he loved so much. “If you’re as serious as I think you are, I’m game.”

Corey would have smiled if she had had it in her. She nodded at Skylar instead and slid her mug toward the sink, dumping the bitter liquid down the drain. “Thank you so much, babe,” she muttered, lifting her eyes to his. The corner of her mouth turned up into the usual smirk she wore in place of a grin. It added to her sly, foxy demeanor and it was something she always embraced. Careful of her husband’s mug, she snaked an arm around his waist and pulled herself into him, resting her head on his shoulder. Corey lifted her jaw and placed a chaste, fleeting kiss on his cheek, wrinkling her nose at the slight stubble. “Love you. I’m going to get dressed and head out. Make sure the kids get breakfast,” she told him, although she was aware of his complete lack of cooking ability. “I should only be gone around an hour. Hopefully I’ll be back before you go to work. You should shave too,” Corey chuckled, getting her last shot in before trying to pull away and head back to the bedroom.

Before she could get away, Skylar placed his mug on the counter and pulled his wife into him, holding her close and placing a kiss to the top of her electric blue head. “Will do. I love you too, babe,” he hummed, rocking with her in his arms as he returned her sentiments. “Be careful out there. My radio’s always on if you need me.” Letting Corey go, he held back as she walked away, picking his tea back up and drinking the remainder. His mind whirred at what lay ahead in the city, but he had the utmost confidence in their ability to pull it off. They were Static Rage and Lithium Spark, the ultimate force to be reckoned with in the desert. As long as he kept his head in the game, they would be just fine. Sky understood that he absolutely could not lose his concentration like last time, where they both ended up broken and injured because he couldn’t keep it in his pants. He knew he had to think with the head on his shoulders this time, and the last thing he wanted to do was to let his wife down.

The mattress depressed under her weight as Corey sat on the edge of the bed, pulling on her socks. Her features were already set in stone as she began to lace up her combat boots – a typical façade she held when venturing out into the desert. Lith maintained a notorious reputation and refused to let something as insignificant as a smile tarnish it. Grabbing her holster from her nightstand, she fastened it around her hips, letting it sit snug and at the perfect right. It was there, ready for a quick and fatal draw in case anything or anyone came her way. Lith slipped her signature blue, red, and silver gun into its slot and hung her matching mask around her neck. Opening her bedside table, she pulled out the wad of cash she kept saved for emergencies. This certainly counted as one in her mind.

Corey plucked her keys off her dresser, letting them toss in the air for a moment before snatching them out of their predestined path. She meandered her way through the hallways of her house, shaking her head when she saw that her children were still asleep, and eventually made her way back to the kitchen. “I’m heading out,” she let Skylar know, pausing to stand in front of her husband and erase all emotion from her voice. Lith knew better than to think she was hurting his feelings with her blunt attitude. She always became standoffish and rude while one a mission or running errands. She was never one to take chances, always wanting – needing – tasks done in a quick and efficient manner. Emotions didn’t lend to that whatsoever.

  
At the sound of her voice, Skylar was pulled out of his reverie and turned from staring out the window and turned to face his wife. He brushed off her tone, knowing better than to take offense, and wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled Corey close and smiled down at her steely expression. “Of course, dove,” Sky nodded, pressing a kiss with more passion behind it than usual. No matter how frequently she ventured out into the desert, it never failed to make him anxious. He was well-aware of the dangers out there and how her notoriety made her a bigger target than usual for dissenters. Along with that, it made his urge to keep her safe and out of harm’s way that much stronger.

  
Sky released his embrace on Corey, letting her take a step back before he gently cupped her face in his hands. He ran his calloused thumbs across her cheekbones, taking in the sharp angles and capturing the green of her eyes once more. His gaze was endearing and love-struck, something he always allowed himself to show in moments like this. Skylar never failed to always worry that whenever his wife left the house, it could be the last time he would see her. Shaking the thoughts from his head, he let a cocky smirk grace his features and dropped his hand. He placed a playful slap on Corey’s rear and nodded for her to move along on her journey for the day. “I’ll see you in a bit, Brooklyn. Be safe, don’t kill anyone without me,” he chuckled, knowing her sense of humor would appreciate the send off.

  
Corey returned with her signature sly grin and let out a soft chuckle at his goodbye, running her fingers through his head of curls. “I’ll try not to, but I’m making no promises,” she winked. Pressing one last lingering kiss to her husband’s lips, she pulled away for the final time, twirling her keys around her pointer finger and swaying her hips as she made her way to the garage. There was no harm in giving Skylar a view before she left. Her old junker was waiting with patience and loyalty in its parked spot. The metal exterior had rusted out in some areas, leaving barren patches where yellow paint should have lied. Yet, despite its outward appearance, the old vehicle purred as if it has just been driven off the showroom floor. This all had to do with Skylar’s gifted ability with mechanics, and ever since they had been seeing each other, Lith had been thankful for his talent. It had saved her ass more times than she’d like to admit.

  
Lith craned her neck, looking over her shoulder as she shifted into reverse, backing from the garage. Her car lurched as it rolled onto the rough street, the tarmac shredded and torn from the ground. It was all a result from the disasters that had plagued the area eons ago, the Analog and Helium Wars. Both were just a distant, fading memory to the woman as she wound her way out of the abandoned housing development her family called home. She kept her eyes peeled as she drove, watching the barren streets and dilapidated houses and looking for anything that could put a damper on her excursion. Her carriage bounced again as it transitioned onto one of the many highways that laced through the Zones. The asphalt was sun-bleached and jagged, jarring the car as Lith journeyed to the old motel. The yellow dashed lined that divvied the road into separate lanes had long since faded, turning any oncoming traffic into a deadly game of chicken.

  
Cacti and scrub brush passed by at a blinding speed as Lith fiddled with the volume knob on her radio. Music blared and the air conditioning blasted to its fullest extent as she neared Tommy Chow Mein’s shop. It was a shady store run by an even shadier man, but that was the desert. When survival and well-being came into concern, most would do business with anyone to make it by. The old, repurposed motel grew on the horizon and Lith could make out the missing letters and broken lights on the aging sign. The building itself was very retro in appearance, holding an antiquated 1950s vibe that only the desert could make last. The space around the outpost was barren, devoid of any sign of intelligent life. This encouraged her. It made snagging the goods she needed and getting out of there much easier.

  
Dust billowed in small clouds around her boots as she swung her legs from her car, landing in the sand. Straightening her spine, Lith held her head high and walked with purpose into the shop, lips posed in a permanent snarl. It was all to keep up the infamous, notorious reputation she had earned in the Zones. People viewed her as a heartless force of nature to be reckoned with. Her immortality made her an unapproachable legend, making others feel blessed or awed by her presence. She’d be damned is she didn’t embrace that. Lith’s body language read confident and reeked of superiority as she swung open the door, a bell jingling above her head. She didn’t bother perusing the collapsing shelves, frowning at the peeling wallpaper, nor kicking the cracking checkerboard laminate tiles as she made a direct line to the checkout counter. Her eyes bored into the greasy man with slicked-back hair and a mismatched suit who stood behind the register, keeping her expression steely as she wore her poker face behind her mask. “I need maps to Battery City. Full layout,” Lith asserted, leaning on the counter. “Get me past the walls and into every part of Better Living Headquarters. And I swear to the gods, Tommy, if you swindle me, I will cut off your balls and use them to play fetch with my dog.”

  
Flicking a strand of pomaded hair from his face, Chow Mein help up his hands in surrender at her tone. His face read another way. A small smirk graced his lips as he let out a small chuckle and nodded at the woman. “Lith, my buddy, my pal,” he said with a singsong voice, testing his limits with the woman. “I’ve been buying and selling with you long enough to know better than to cheat you. If I did, not only would you castrate me, you’d skin me alive and tie me to your car antenna to use as a flag as you speed down Route Guano.” Tommy lowered his hands and crossed his arms on the counter, leaning toward Lith. “So you need to get into Bat City. I’m pretty sure I can do that for you.”

  
He ducked down, rummaging under the counter. Small crashes and tumbles of merchandise could be heard from Tommy’s side of the register. Bit and baubles rolled onto the floor behind the man, scattering across the laminate tiles. Popping up with an agility a man his age shouldn’t possess, he shook two poster tubes victoriously at Lith. “These babies right here are just what you need,” Tommy grinned, laying the containers gently on the counter. Taking the first one gingerly in his hands, he popped off the top and laid it aside, gently shaking out the first piece of paper. “This right here is a basic city map,” he hummed, unrolling the paper so the blue-haired woman could get a decent view. “They’re easy to come by and won’t cost you much.” Letting go, the paper rolled back in on itself and Chow Mein tucked it back into its carrier. Opening the other, he shook out a roll of several papers, all a deep blue in color and covered in white dashes and lines. “These however, these are blue prints of Better Living Industries Headquarters. I risked my ass getting these and I’m not going to just give them away. Not even to you,” Chow Mein warned her. He slid the papers for Lith to look at before continuing with his spiel. “These blueprints can get you anywhere in HQ, but are going to cost you a pretty penny. Five hundred carbons for the lot. This would usually run over a thousand, but it’s you. Keep keeping me in business and it’ll all be worth it,” Tommy smiled.

  
“You know price isn’t a problem for me, Mein,” Lithium scoffed, studying the blueprints. Her fingers carefully flipped through the papers and she hummed, impressed by what she saw. “If these get me where I’m wanting to go, they’ll be worth the cost. She sent a sly smile in his direction and dropped a hand to her back pocket. Her hand grasped the hefty was of carbon bills and slapped it on the counter with a satisfying thump, although she kept the money from Tommy’s reach. She wiggled her fingers at the mess on the counter, silently telling him to put in a bit of physical labor and pack things up for her. As the man rolled the maps up, Corey carefully studied his features with precision for any sign of deceit, but came up empty. Satisfied and confident that she wasn’t being cheated on the deal, she fingered through the mass of cash and counted out the amount she owed with care and slid the money over to the slimy man. She kept one hand on the cash until she could tuck the map tubes under her arm. Pleased with her haul, Lithium released the money, leaving Tommy to his devices. “Pleasure doing business with you,” she smirked, pocketing her extra cash in her back pocket. Smiling at her new possessions, she left the storefront without another word and headed back home.

  
As Corey rounded the corner onto her street, she saw that the garage had been closed. That always indicated that Sky was gone, either out for supplies or working at the mechanic shop. Today, it was the latter. She tried her best to not seem disappointed, putting her car into park and taking the keys from the ignition. Spoils in hand, she strolled into her home to begin studying the maps and planning their routes. As much as she hoped to revel in the glory with her husband, make him beam with pride in her before he left for work, her celebration would need to be penciled in for a later time. The couple’s celebrations after dark were always a bit more entertaining anyways. Shaking herself from her thoughts, Corey made her way back to her room, keeping the maps hidden from her children. Luke and Blaire were far too fragile to learn of their parents’ mission. Luke, especially, would not be keen on his mother running off to the city again. Not after what happened the first time.

  
Plopping onto her mattress, Corey grabbed a red permanent marker from her bedside drawer to draw out the best routes for the city adventure she had planned. Taking the first tube, she shook out the general city map and spread it out on her comforter. Her teeth gnawed on the marker cap as her eyes scanned the black and white printout of the interior Zones and Battery City. The map was beyond detailed, even including times for patrol routes. Popping the marker from her mouth, she set the felt tip to the paper and began to draw. Red lines crossed from her housing development, through the desert, into underground tunnels, and out onto secluded city streets. If they timed this raid properly, Corey and Sky could avoid any patrol squadrons. Stealth would be on their side, letting them wander completely unnoticed into Better Living Industries headquarters. Getting to the data room would be the difficult part.

  
Setting the Zone and city map to the side, Corey took the second poster tube into her hands. She ran her fingers along the rounded cardboard, interested as to what she may find with careful examination of the contents inside. Smiling to herself, she pulled the top off and gently pulled the blueprints out. There were several sheets of paper, each one detailing a floor of the towering building in Battery City. With more study of the prints, a very pleasant surprise was revealed. Security cameras had been marked on the plans, along with exactly where the surveyed. Grabbing her marker, Corey made careful marks, creating a route that would lead them away from the line of sight and right to where they needed to be. The more she planned, the more she realized how the blueprints would hinder their performance, making capture more likely than ever. Memorization of this leg of the journey would be mandatory.

  
Corey slaved over her maps, letting the images and routes burn into her retinas. The dashes, lines, and arrows were cemented into her memory. Her confidence grew in her plan as the set the maps and blueprints aside, certain she had it all down pat. As her stomach began to rumble and she headed toward the kitchen, Corey heard the garage door close. A grin grew on her features when she realized her husband was home and couldn’t wait to share the news she had with him. Walking past the kids, who were curled up on the couch watching a movie, Lith opened the door leading to the garage and closed it behind her, pressing her back against it. Skylar was just getting out of his car, a cigarette hanging from his lips. Corey walked over to him and plucked the cancer stick playfully from his mouth and placed it in hers, taking a drag.

  
Skylar stopped in his track when his wife stole his cigarette, taken by surprise. Once he had regained his wits, he stood up straight and closed the driver’s door, leaning against his car so he could face the woman with furrowed brows. He was unable to keep his features stern for long, cracking and laughing when he saw how Corey was grinning and keeping up her playful act. “What’s gotten into you?”  
he chuckled, waiting for her to ash the cigarette before wrapping an arm around Lith’s waist and pulling her into him. Skylar had been with the woman long enough to know that when she got playful, she was up to something devious. Shaking his head at his smiling wife, he leaned forward and placed his lips against hers, pulling back with wide eyes when he felt her nip at the skin of his bottom lip. “Okay, spill, Corey,” he laughed, rocking them from side to side as he held her. “Whenever you act like this, you’re up to something. I want to know what that something is.”

  
“We’re set,” Lith smiled, running her fingers along his scalp, brushing through Sky’s untamable curls. “I’ve got the maps, routed everything, and memorized it all. We can get in and get out with as little resistance as possible. We’re going to be able to do this babe,” she grinned, proud of her own ingenuity. “I’m just that amazing. I think that calls for a bit of celebration.” Corey pressed her lips against Skylar’s for one more kiss, immersing herself in him. She felt his arms tighten around her waist and smirked against his mouth, only to pull away first. “I’m going to need a good night’s sleep if I want to be ready for tomorrow, and you and I both know how to make that happen,” she chuckled, patting the side of her husband’s face. “But after dinner, because the kids and I are getting hungry, and I’m sure you are too.” Lith wiggled out of Sky’s arms and backed toward the door leading into the house. She crooked a finger, motioning Sky to follow and raised a playful eyebrow at him, leaving him to his own devices as she slipped back into the house.

  
Skylar shook his head as his wife went to make dinner, and shamelessly took in the view as she left him. Now he was the one who couldn’t wipe the smile off his face, eager for the night that lay ahead. He purposely blocked the thought of tomorrow from his mind and looked forward to what she had planned for tonight instead. He was no stranger to how hostile the city was, but just like Corey, he too needed a decent night’s sleep if he was going to be an asset instead of hindrance tomorrow. Shaking his hair out, Sky made his way into the house and was met by the sound of a movie playing and his wife making a mess in the kitchen. Knowing better than to bother Corey while she was cooking, he took a seat in the living room with his son and daughter after placing a kiss to the tops of their heads (earning an annoyed grunt from Luke and a weary sigh from Blaire). He brushed their reactions off, used to them by now, and settled into his chair, watching Star Wars on the old, cheap television set with his kids while he waited for dinner to finish.

  
Dinner went off without a hitch and the kids retired to their rooms for the night. Corey washed up the dishes they had dirtied and left them to dry in the sink. Patting the excess water off her hands on a ratty towel she kept by the faucet, she turned to face Sky with a grin, bracing her hands behind her on the counter. “Now where did I leave off in the garage?” she chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist once again. Lith tilted her head to the side and let Sky have his fun marking her neck up. She was surprised he could still find space to bruise. “You’re such a possessive fuck,” Corey chided, her breath faltering as she let out a long, slow sigh. Her neck had always been a sensitive spot and her husband was very well aware of this. “Come on. I just cleaned off the kitchen table. We don’t need to screw on it,” she tried to joke, already walking backwards to their room.

  
Sheets and blankets covered the floor, thrown there in the heat of the moment. The maps were strewn haphazardly on the nightstand. Corey and Sky fell back onto the bed, panting and their skin sticking together from sweat. She let out a lighthearted laugh, still reeling from her adrenaline ecstasy high, a lovestruck grin plastered on her face. “Three. Not bad. I’m sure sleeping well tonight,” she hummed, rolling onto her stomach so she could look at her husband. Lith reached up and moved a few sweaty curls from his face and pressed her lips to his. But, with the smell of sex not as sweet and the atmosphere humid and tacky, the kiss was hard to relax into. “Okay, on second thought. Let’s got take a bath and cuddle in there. We’re too gross to fall asleep like this,” she laughed.

  
“Agreed,” Sky chuckled, gently sliding Corey off him. He stood from the bed and padded toward the dressed. He dressed himself in a pair of flannel pajama pants and draped his wife’s robe over her shoulders. When she had tied the belt around her waist, Skylar scooped her up into his arms and began carrying her to the bathroom down the hall, nuzzling her neck as he did. Corey wiggled in his hold, giving him a hard time for toting her around until he crossed over onto the tile of the bathroom. He carefully sat her down on the edge of the sink and set about filling up the tub for them both. A little bit of digging unearthed some of Blaire's experiments and he figured those wouldn't be a bad addition to the bath, helping both him and his wife sleep. Sky put a few dashes of some scented soap his daughter had made into the water and turned his attention back to Corey. Helping her off the sink, he waited her her to disrobe and get into the water before stripping down and sinking in behind her.

  
Sky let out a long, content sigh at the feel of the water and smiled to himself when Corey settled her back against his chest. He linked his fingers with hers and draped them over the side of the tub and held her waist with the other as they relaxed. He'd never admit it out loud, but nights like these were his favorite. Skylar loved his wife more than anything on the face of the earth and cherished every waking moment he got to spend with her. He was ensnared with the moments like the one he was immersed in, where Corey let all of her walls down and didn't put up her typical ruse. He loved these moments because they were the ones that stuck in his mind, that he could look back and reminisce upon whenever she wasn't around. Which was always a constant fear in his mind. Skylar wasn't blind to all the dangers his wife was put up against and it scared the living daylights out of him. She was strong and intimidating, making her a target for anything and everything. If something was to happen tomorrow, he was glad a moment like this was fresh in his mind.

  
Corey drew meaningless patterns in the bubbles floating atop the steaming water, watching them pop and swirl. She tried her hardest to focus on the comforting embrace around her midsection and ignore the thoughts starting to race through her head. She had been okay when she was busying herself, whether it be with planning, cooking, or fucking. But now, when it was just Sky and herself amidst the silence, the only noise being the water, their breath, and heartbeats, she was suffocating. Her mind was beginning to whir with thoughts of tomorrow, although she tried to her best to use Skylar as a rock as per usual. Corey’s hand gripped onto Skylar’s a bit tighter and she took in a deep breath, exhaling through her nose as she tried to calm down and shake herself out of her thoughts. Tilting her head back on Sky’s shoulder, she looked up at the man and placed a kiss to the underside of his jaw. “Let’s go get to bed, babe,” she sighed, taking a moment to rest against and immerse herself in him.

  
Dried off and dressed in pajamas, Lith and Sky clambered into bed. It was instinctual how they fit together instantaneously, Sky holding Corey in his arms and she resting her head on his chest. This was their typical position every night, but that night made it all the more important. His hold on her was stronger, more secure, making sure she wouldn’t disappear or slip away. Her comfort was what mattered and he was determined to supply that. She embraced everything he had to offer, relying on his presence to bring her ease of mind. The sensation of fingers running through her hair was enough to comfort her into drifting off to sleep.

  
Sunlight filtering in through the drawn curtains warmed the room, causing enough discomfort to rouse Corey from her slumber. She was too warm pressed against Skylar’s space heater of a body and wiggled out of his arms, careful not to wake him. Rubbing the blur and sleep from her eyes, she caught sight of the clock hanging on the wall and was pleased to see that she hadn’t slept in. It was just early enough for them to start preparing for their mission. Most mornings, Corey would trudge straight for the kitchen, keen on getting a cup of coffee, but not today. Sliding from the bed, she padded over to the dresser and began rifling through it for appropriate attire. For herself, she picked out form-fitting and flexible clothing, which would allow her the maneuverability she needed in case she was faced with a fight. Folding the clothes and setting them in a pile, she began plucking out clothes for Sky. She knew her husband well enough to know he would want a bit of flair while they were out. Laying out a floral button up and his favorite skinny jeans, she set about dressing herself.

  
Shimmying into her jeans, Corey fastened the button and zipper and fed her belt through the loops. Socks and shoes in hand, she took a seat on her side of the bed. She slipped her socks onto her feet and laced up the combat boots that were wearing away in the sole. Corey rolled her ankle and decided they fit right before grabbing her holster off her nightstand. She fastened the buckle around her hips and nodded at the snug fit. Slipping her gun into its spot, she leaned over and gave Sky’s shoulder a gentle shake. “Babe, get up. I need you to get dressed while I go wake the kids. Nat’s going to watching them while we’re out,” she cooed, running her fingers through his curls until her husband woke up. When she heard him grunt and saw his blue eyes flutter open, Corey gave him a grin and placed a chaste kiss to his lips. “I’m going to go brew you some tea. You just suit up.”

  
With the kids’ day bags packed and ready to go, she ushered the two into the kitchen and set about making a quick breakfast. Corey doled out protein bars and set the kettle on for tea and the French press on for coffee. Her attitude was chipper and lighthearted, not alluding to what may happen in the next few hours. The kids only knew that they were to go to their sister-in-law’s for the day, not why. The kettle began to whistle by the time Sky decided to show his curly head. Corey kept silent as she poured three mugs of tea for the children and her husband, and one filled with coffee for herself. She raised an eyebrow as she gave Skylar his drink, silently asking if he was ready to roll. He responded with a nod, silently chewing on his protein bar and sipping at his tea. With that answer, Corey quickly downed the remainder of her coffee and shoveled her breakfast bar into her mouth. Disappearing from the kitchen, she gathered up materials from the first aid kit they kept under the sink. Hands loaded down with supplies, she swooped up Sky’s keys from beside the door and ventured out into the garage, unlocking the front passenger door to his car. First aid supplies tumbled into her side of the floor board and she picked a cigarette out from the carton in her back pocket. Lighting the cancer stick and taking slow, calming drags, Corey checked the charges on her gun and waited patiently for the others to file out of the house, more than prepared for what lay ahead.

  
She ruffled both kids’ hair as they slipped from the car and headed inside her daughter-in-law’s house, bidding them fun and a good time. As soon as the door shut, the smile fell from her face and her muscles tensed, waiting to spring at any sign of danger. Corey was gone, all that remained in control was Lithium Spark. Her hand slid to a resting position on her gun and her expression remain stoic and her voice silent. The only time she spoke was when directing Static Rage through the desert. Lith blew off the way he tensed when she used his Killjoy name, too set in her ways to do otherwise. Whenever away from the home, first names were out of the question. They were a safety hazard.

  
The walls of Battery City grew as the neared the desert epicenter. The stark white and conformity was a contrast to the wild, free, colorful life that inhabited the Zones. Maps played in her mind as she flicked her finger, pointing Sky in the directions they needed to go. Before long, they had avoided patrol routes and the car slipped into the labyrinthine tunnel system that undercut the city. Lights flickered and water dripped down the walls as the car slowed down, crawling through the tunnel. It made it halfway down until Lith held her hand out, signaling Sky to stop. “We walk from here,” she let him know, pointing out a place to park. “I memorized our way in. Stick close to me. Don’t shoot unless we’re cornered. We want as little of a mess as possible and we want to get in and out as quickly as we can.” She reached over and placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him with everything she had. “And no matter what happens, I love you.” Lith didn’t wait for an answer before slipping from the car into the damp, dank, grimy atmosphere.

  
She pulled her gun from its holster and flipped the safety as she waited for Sky to join her in the tunnel. Mask over her eyes and bandana over his mouth, the two set out, weaving their way into the city. Eventually, the ground began to slope upward and they were dumped onto paved city streets. Lith paid careful attention to the street names and pulled Sky along. They bobbed between citizens and narrowly avoided patrol units, sending adrenaline thrumming through their veins. Somehow, they meandered their way to heart of Battery City, heading for the looming skyscraper that stood above all other buildings. The Better Living Industries insignia glowed on the side of the structure, acting like a beacon for the two Killjoys, determined to break in. They scrambled up to the exterior and strayed far from the view of security cameras. The rebels held close to the side as headed toward a storage facility the connected to the main building. If Sky and Lith had made it this far without a hitch, she was positive they could go the rest.

  
Bracing a hand over Sky’s chest and telling him to stand back, Lith raised her gun to the lock on the door. She felt her husband’s hammering heart and knew hers was doing the same. The blood rushed in her ears, but she kept her hands steady as her fingers squeezed the trigger, firing off a laser into the lock. The door, now unburdened, swung freely open. The sound of footsteps starting rushing toward the rebel duo and Lith raised her gun once more. A body of a lone guard collapsed before them, skull smoldering from the heat of the shot passing through it. The smallest of smirks plastered onto her face and she walked to the body, plucking the access card of the corpse. Spitting on the dead man’s face to solidify her ruthless behavior, Lith trudged forward with Skylar, more determined than ever.

  
The duo ventured in to the belly of the building. They sprinted down corridors and bounded up staircases, avoiding capture by mere moments. Lith prayed she had remembered the correct route and pulled Sky down the final hallway, stopping outside a room where an electric hum echoed inside. She checked either end of the long expanse they were stood in and pulled the access card from her rear pocket. The plastic was marked with a barcode on one side and she swiped it through the panel outside the door. A few clicks and beeps sounded, and the door opened, allowing the rebels access into the data and records room. Computers and machines lined the walls of the small room and two men sat before the machines. Lith gave Skylar a quick nod and they raised their guns, firing off quick shots at the men, letting them meet the same fate as the security guard. With them out of the way, Lith told Sky to keep lookout and she moved to the computers, getting to work.

  
Lith was able to find her way through various files until she got to the category labeled HIGHLY RESTRICTED. A fingerprint scanner lit up on the touch screen and she knew better than to touch it. Taking a stab, she hauled one of the men up to the monitor, struggling slightly with the dead weight, and pressed his hand to the scanner. It beeped and whirled, a line crossing the screen and finally opening and allowing access to the files she needed. All were alphabetized by alias, the Killjoy names of her family splayed across the screen. She clicked on her oldest children, Evan and Axel, first, and opened up their records. Lith held back an audible gasp on the detailed information she was reading on the twins. Full names, personality descriptions, job titles, relationships, photographic identification. It was all there. Without hesitating, she wiped them from the system, her children’s safety taking precedent over her own. “I was right,” Lith muttered as she opened Luke and Blaire’s. She hoped and prayed to the desert gods that these two didn’t have nearly as much information as the others. Panicked raced in her veins and nausea settled in the pit of her stomach when she realized how wrong she was. The same information was there and she couldn’t wrap her head around how BLI could have possibly known everything she was reading. She had worked far too hard to keep Luke and Blaire a secret from the city. Now she knew the effort was all in vain.

  
Her fingers raced across the screen in a blurred fury as she deleted records left and right. Evan, Axel, and Luke were the only ones with substantial information recorded. All of Blaire’s had been incorrect. Skylar, Nate, Alfie, and Izzy’s files were practically blank. Elliot, Anthea, and Natasha’s files were nonexistent. Those were facts she couldn’t fret about, erasing their entire existence more important at the moment. Finally, she gathered up the courage to open her own file. Lith’s face contorted into an expression of pure horror as she read every small fact about herself, even ones she didn’t know. Her full name was sitting at the top, something she had never revealed to Skylar and her ex-husband. Her birthplace and date, down to the minute, was broadcasted for everyone to see. Her high school GPA, capture and torture records, routine, and preferred brand of hair dye – it was all there. She was shocked and confused as to how anyone knew all of this about her. Lith scrolled through the rest of the document, reading on, until she got her answer.

  
Corey let out a terrified gasp and scrambled backwards from the screen at the sight of the name at the bottom of her file. She didn’t hear Sky rush to her side and jumped when he gathered her into his arms, trembling from horror. The name was one she hadn’t seen in years, but would never forget. It was connected to her beginning, and what she expected was her end. Shaking and panicking, Lith raised to her feet and pulled away from her husband, taking timid steps back toward the screen. She wiped her file from the system, but had the sinking suspicion that not even that would be enough. She took deep, quaking breaths in an attempt to calm herself down and reached out for Skylar’s hand, needing her rock. Corey clang to him for dear life as she fished out the access card, heading back to the door. “W-We need to get out of here,” she rushed, fiddling with the plastic, trying to keep it in her hand. “It’s worse than I thought… It’s so bad. It’s so so bad.” Her voice shook with unshed tears and she fought with the access panel, trying to unlock the door.

  
Giving up with the flimsy plastic, Lithium raised her leg and pressed a solid kick to the door, letting it fly open without checking for the presence of another person on the other side. A hand caught the door, stopping it in its tracks. The hand was adorned with expensive rings and an impressive watch framed the wrist. The arm was adorned by what must have been a designer suit. Swallowing loudly, Lith let her eyes follow to the face, where a pair of eyes that looked just like her own stared back from behind a pair of glasses. The man’s salt and pepper hair was brushed back in a neat smile, and a smirk that mirrored the one she always wore sneered back, surrounded by a neatly-trimmed mustache and beard. Corey swore she could feel her heart stop and drop into her stomach, and her head felt faint as panic thrummed through her body telling her to run. “D-Dad? You’re supposed to be dead.”

  
Glenn West let out a soft laugh through his nose, shaking his head at his daughter’s remark. “After all these years, that’s how you greet your father. It’s been a while, hasn’t it, Corinne?” he asked, voice sickeningly sweet as he looked his daughter over. He clicked his tongue, condescending her electric blue hair. He straightened his tie and adjusted the identification badge on his lapel. Without blinking, West plucked the access card from Lith’s hand and pocketed it, knowing she wouldn’t have the audacity to take it back. He had to stop himself from laughing at the way she recoiled from him. “Oh, now stop acting like that. You should be ecstatic to see your father after the time we’ve spent apart. Although, it seems you’ve gotten yourself into quite a bit of trouble, Corinne. Your mother would be so disappointed in all that you’ve done. I thought I raised you better than this.”

  
Lith flinched with every use of her full name, shutting her eyes and reacting as if each syllable was a blow to her gut. She shrank in on herself and pressed her body as close to Sky’s as humanly possible, letting that reassure her this wasn’t a nightmare, no matter how much she wanted it to be. Her chest heaved and she turned to face her father again. She tried to push out words, but couldn’t find any. She was frozen on the spot, her mind whirring for something, but coming up short. Her entire body was overwhelmed by shock. Lith always had a witty retort or menacing comeback, but this time, there was nothing. Something that never happened in dire situations. She always had a reaction, but not now. “D-Don’t talk about her,” Corey squeaked, sounding very unlike herself. “You should be dead. Not spying on me for years. Not writing a file on me…” She shook her head and took in a trembling breath, trying to keep her faltering composure. “You died in the wars…”

  
This time, Glenn did laugh, thinking the assumption was hilarious. He reached out and brushed a piece of Corey’s hair from her face, wanting a better look. This father-daughter interaction would have been considered a loving moment between most, but under current circumstances, the simple action held venom and malice. “You were always slow picking up on things, Corinne,” he chuckled, smiling at the woman. “How are the kids? They seem to be getting into trouble just like you. And this must be the husband!” Glenn turned to Sky, keeping up the casual conversation as if nothing had happened. “He looks a bit unkempt. You and you’re questionable taste in men, Corinne…” He didn’t react to the sound of boots closing in from one in of the hallway, letting the rebels know their time was dwindling.

  
The anxiety was too much for Corey at this point. A panicked noise escaped her lips and she ripped herself from Skylar’s grasp. The sound of boot steps echoed in her ears and her paranoia and posttraumatic stress disorder were in full swing. Without thinking or planning, she bolted for the stairway, forgetting that she had left her husband to fend for himself. Terrified tears ran down her face as her feet tried to carry her away from the building as quickly as possible. She pushed past unknowing agents in the corridors and finally emerged onto the street. Hoping she was heading in the right direction, Corey ran out into the frenzied mass of the city, wanting nothing more than to get in the car and drive away as quickly as possible.

  
Skylar was in a shocked reverie until his wife pulled from his grasp. She had been the leader up until that moment, and now he knew it was his turn to act. It was now or never if they were going to make it out of here alive. They had to, the other alternative wasn’t a choice. He braved one final look at the man who had confronted them and swallowed back bile at his appearance. Sky would have had to been blind to not notice the striking similarities between Glenn West and Corey Bloom. The nose, the lips, the facial structure - they were all alike. But the most striking feature was the eyes. He always believed that the only eyes that could match his wife’s were their daughter’s – the green was too intricate, too rare. But here, contradicting everything he stood for, was another pair too similar to be fake. Sky felt his stomach drop as the realization settled in. Glenn West’s claims were true, and he knew there would be no turning back from this.

  
Thankful Corey couldn’t have gotten too far, Sky broke out into a sprint in the direction his wife had ran. Sweat began to bead on his forehead and he flicked curls from his face, too concentrated on catching back up to Lith. As he burst onto the bustling streets of Battery City, he spotted a head of blue hair weaving a panicked path through the crowd. Taking a breath and working up another jolt of energy, Skylar put his head down and ran with everything he had, following her through the expanse of the city. They twisted through back streets with reckless abandonment, purely set on just escaping now. He had lost track of time when they bounded into the tunnel, barreling straight to the car. Skylar only stopped when Corey did, watching her collapse to the ground by the trunk of the car. Without hesitation, he rocketed to her side and gathered his wife into his arms, whispering sweet nothings into her ear and running a hand through her hair in an attempt to calm her down. Her skin was clammy to the touch and all color had drained from her face. Skylar knew this only meant the worst for Corey, but he’d be damned if he wasn’t going to everything in his power to help her.

  
The small squadron of Better Living officials made a move to take off after the rebel duo, but stalled when Glenn West held up a hand. “Don’t,” he said calmly, a small smirk tugging at his lips. “Let them go. Let them think they’ve gotten away this time.” West turned on his heels and let out a content sigh, checking his watch before walking to his office. “I have quite the surprise planned for her. We don’t want to spoil that, now do we? Someone go tell Hastings to meet me in my office in ten minutes. I have some things I need to discuss with him.”

  
Corey pulled herself from Skylar’s hold once more, falling onto her hands and knees. She disregarded how the asphalt scraped at her skin, preoccupied by the way she was hurling her stomach contents on the ground. Shivering and pale, Corey fell back on Sky, all strength gone. She didn’t care that they could be caught at any second, the shock was too much. “This is bad,” she whispered hoarsely, wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand. Corey squeezed her eyes shut and let out a sob, beyond lost. “What are we going to do?” With pure despair rolling through her, she felt like giving up. She knew she was heading back to the city and there was no telling what they would do to her this time. She knew she wouldn’t be making it. Corey didn’t react as Skylar picked her up and placed her in the passenger’s seat of the car. She kept her hand clamped on his and broke down completely as he revved the engine, peeling out of the tunnel.

  
Skylar’s panic didn’t go away until they were far from the city walls. Relief washed over him when he checked his mirrors and saw they weren’t being pursued. Releasing a breath he didn’t realize he had been holding. He could feel his wife shaking violently and tried giving her a reassuring squeeze. “Corey… Corey, it’s okay,” he reasoned, slowing down the car to a comfortable pace. “We’re not hurt. We’re not being followed. It’s all going to be okay. You did it. You erased everything. We have the upper hand, Brooklyn.”

  
Corey gave her head a vigorous shake at his accusation, pulling her hand away. She knew better than to believe him. “No, no it’s not. We should’ve been followed. We should’ve been shot at. This is all wrong Sky,” she whispered hoarsely, mouth going dry. “He’s planning something. He’s planning something horrible and we should be terrified.”


End file.
